Harold Coyle is a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute, Class of '74, the Armor Officers Basic Course at Fort Knox, Ky, the Infantry Officer's Advance Course at Fort Benning, Ga, and the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Ks. He served in Germany from January 1975 to December 1979 with 3rd Battalion, 68th Armor, which was stationed at Sullivan Barracks outside the town of Käfertal. During this time he commanded Company A / 3-68 Armor which was attached to 2nd Battalion, 13th Infantry for training and wartime contingencies.Other assignments included M-1 Branch chief, Weapons Department of the Armor School at Fort Knox; advisor to the National Guard with Readiness Group Devens; assistant operations officer with the Combined Field Army in Korea; G-3 Training officer with the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood; Task Force Operations officer for 1st of the 32nd Armor; admin officer and instructor for the Command and General Staff College's Combat Studies Institute; and executive officer to the Deputy Commanding General of the 3rd Army during Desert Storm.

Revised and updated from the original version released in 1987, Coyle's novel of the Cold War turning hot pits the US against the Soviet Union, with the powers of Western Europe wondering whether they can summon the strength and the willpower to hold their own in this climate.